1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a digital camera where image data is recorded in an information recording medium. More specifically, the present invention relates to a digital camera which can make a copy of, or move, desired image data selected from image data recorded in another digital camera without using a personal computer or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
A digital camera converts light reflected by an object to an electrical signal so as to generate image data, and records the generated image data in an information recording medium such as a semiconductor memory, an optical disc, a floppy disc, or the like; and reproduces and displays an image on a display based on such recorded image data. The image may be a still image or a moving image.
FIG. 25 shows a structure of a conventional digital camera 2500.
The digital camera 2500 includes an image capturing section 2501, an image processing section 2502, a monitor 2503, a memory control section 2504, and an information recording medium 2505.
An operation of the digital camera 2500 having such a structure is described.
The image capturing section 2501 receives light reflected by an object to generate an analog signal which represents an image of the object. The image processing section 2502 converts an analog signal generated by the image capturing section 2501 to a digital signal so as to generate image data. The image data is moved to the monitor 2503, and the object which is represented by the image data is displayed on the monitor 2503. In this way, the monitor 2503 functions as a finder of the camera. When a user clicks a shutter provided in a main body of the digital camera, the memory control section 2504 records the image data, which represents the object displayed on the monitor 2503, in the information recording medium 2505. Once the image data is recorded in the information recording medium 2505, the memory control section 2504 can reproduce the image data recorded in the information recording medium 2505 and display the object which is represented by the image data on the monitor 2503. The information recording medium 2505 may be a memory incorporated in the main body of the digital camera 2500. Alternatively, the information recording medium 2505 may be a removable memory.
In order to edit (for example, compile, process, print, etc.) the image data recorded in the information recording medium 2505 in the above described manner, the information recording medium 2505 is directly connected to an external device, such as a personal computer, in the case where the information recording medium 2505 is an incorporated memory. Alternatively, in the case where the information recording medium 2505 is a removable memory, the information recording medium 2505 is removed from the main body of the digital camera 2500, and the removed information recording medium 2505 is inserted in a personal computer or the like. Then, a memory card reader, a disc drive, or the like, incorporated in the personal computer reads the image data recorded in the information recording medium 2505, and copies the image data into a fixed disc drive incorporated in the personal computer.
In the case where a user copies image data which represents an object captured by one digital camera into an information recording medium of another digital camera, the image data must be copied into a fixed disc drive included in a personal computer before it is copied into the another digital camera. This task requires labor and time, and cannot be achieved without using a personal computer which includes a memory card reader and a disc drive. For example, image data which represent objects captured by digital cameras cannot be transferred among the digital cameras in an environment where there is no personal computer, e.g., outdoors.